SOUND ON SOUND

[Kwackman]

Some Solo systems get even more clever, and include a 'Solo-in-Front' mode where, rather than muting everything else, they just turn everything else down a bit...

I've learnt something new!

One of the features of Cubase I use most often. Steinberg call it 'Listen'.

Correction - I've learnt 2 new things!
Off to check out the Cubase manual.....

[The Elf]

One of the features of Cubase I use most often. Steinberg call it 'Listen'.

Correction - I've learnt 2 new things!
Off to check out the Cubase manual.....

I think you need to be using Control Room - but everyone should be using Control Room... ;)

[blinddrew]

Just to keep Desmond happy, it's also available in Reaper. ;)

[CS70]

It'd be hard to find a DAW that does not have solo dimming?

[DC-Choppah]

DC-Choppah, I would love to know the make and model of your mixer. interface and that valve pre amp?

Mixer is Yamaha MG16XU: https://usa.yamaha.com/products/proaudi ... index.html

I also had the same issue with my old VLZ Mackie mixer (1202VLZ)

The 8 bus outputs from the Yamaha mixer go to the M-Audio Ultra 8r interface: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/45447 ... ra-8r.html

The valve preamp is: https://www.behringer.com/product.html?modelCode=P0CCZ

[DC-Choppah]

I'm not entirely clear what you're doing here -- is the bass drum miked and going through the desk (and with the channel gain aligned using the PFL method as you described), or is this ambient spill picked up by the SM57?

Either way, the problem is a lack of headroom in the interface because you've wound its input sensitivity up.

If it's acoustic spill, being picked up by the SM57, the most likely reason for the apparently excessive signal level is that the mic is in a resonant chamber formed by the piano and its lid that happens to over-emphasise the bass drum fundamental, and/or it's positioned in an anti-node of the room's standing waves that do the same thing.

Ambient spill picked up by the SM57 in the piano. That was the only mic on.

I have a much better piano mic setup now thanks to you guys ;)
Thank you kindly to Hugh who patiently worked through all of my other piano lid issues on a previous thread! Getting away from the lid sound was a huge improvement for me. And I get many comments from folks who want me to make piano tracks for them cause they dig my sound! :D


But I still like to try the SM57 style mics to hear how they sound on other stuff where the mic is not right up close, and sometimes it is just right! The extra preamp gain is needed to avoid these kinds of dynamic range problems with my system. I just want to get a proper level (via PFL procedure), be able to hear it in the headphone even though I am in the same room, and not clip! We are calling that 'head room' - being able to absorb big stuff without clipping.

[Hugh Robjohns]

We are calling that 'head room' - being able to absorb big stuff without clipping.

Yep... Naturally, there are practical limits to how much headroom can be employed in any given situation, and it's always about optimising the gain structure.

If your mic/source combination only generates a low output level, turning up the interface sensitivity is definitely the wrong solution -- you will be compromising the noise floor and reducing the headroom for other sources. A cascade preamp for that specific mic is a much better, more practical solution with much better technical performance too.